The Alberta government is telling Ottawa it does not support a federal proposal to ban the use of liquid strychnine poison for killing prairie gophers.
Gophers, which burrow underground, can damage crops and hurt livestock.
READ MORE: Sask. rural community group opposes proposed strychnine ban
Health Canada is proposing to ban the use of strychnine to control the rodents, formally known as the Richardson ground squirrel.
There is concern strychnine kills other animals, including species at risk such as the swift fox and the burrowing owl.
The federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency is accepting feedback on the proposed ban until next Thursday.
Alberta Agriculture says producers are worried about the financial implications of a ban because strychnine is the only effective tool for controlling gophers.